Wisdom teeth are the third final set of molars. This generally occurs between the ages of 17 25, a time of life that has been called the "Age of Wisdom."

Sometimes these teeth can be a valuable asset to the mouth when healthy properly aligned, but more often, they are misaligned require removal. Wisdom teeth present potential problems when they are misaligned - they can position themselves horizontally, be angled toward or away from the second molars or be angled inward or outward. Poor alignment of wisdom teeth can crowd or damage adjacent teeth, the jawbone, or nerves. Wisdom teeth that lean toward the second molars make those teeth more vulnerable to decay by entrapping plaque debris. In addition, wisdom teeth can be entrapped completely within the soft tissue and/or the jawbone or only partially break through or erupt through the gum. Teeth that remain partially or completely entrapped within the soft tissue /or the jawbone are termed "impacted." Wisdom teeth that only partially erupt allows for an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth cause an infection, which results in pain, swelling, jaw stiffness, general illness. Partially erupted teeth are also more prone to tooth decay gum disease because their hard-to-reach location awkward positioning makes brushing flossing difficult.